By taking advantage of the GPIO ports available with BrightSign HD, XD, XC, and XT models, you can integrate Signagelive with your Emergency Messaging (or any other instant messaging requirement). Using GPIO and Web Trigger technology, your digital signage can react to events in the surrounding environment.
Please Note
Before using Web Triggers, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the documentation on Web Triggers in our Build Site (found here). There may also be one-off charges for adding this feature. For more information, please contact the relevant Sales Team in your region.
Configuring your GPIO device
Check and update firmware
We recommend that you update your BrightSign device to the appropriate firmware before configuring Signagelive. The latest recommended firmware and instructions for the update process can be found here.
Installing the GPIO client
Similar to the usual process of installing the Signagelive client on your BrightSign device, you'll now need to install the Signagelive GPIO Interface Client on your BrightSign device. Follow the steps below to do so.
Please Note
As per step 2 of our BrightSign configuration guide, you will also require some configuration files before proceeding with the steps in this article. If you already have these then great! If not, please see step 2 of the aforementioned article above to generate your settings.json and network.json files.
Download the Signagelive GPIO Interface client here.
Open the Signagelive App zip folder on your laptop and ‘extract all’ to the root of the micro SD card. (The "root" is the directory you open when you first open the micro SD card)
Create a folder called data (case-sensitive) on the root directory of the micro SD card
Add the settings.json file (and the network.json file if you generated one) to the data folder you just created
Optionally if you generated one add the network.json file to the data folder.
Remove the micro SD card from your laptop and insert into the powered off BrightSign Player
Power on your BrightSign Player
Your player will now launch with the Signagelive GPIO app. Since this does not include graphics, you do not need to connect your device to a screen.
Wiring your GPIO
Your BrightSign will support the connection of two 6-pin terminal blocks which can be inserted into GPIO connector on your device. These blocks can be wired according to your application.
The example below is based on having buttons to trigger content, but it can also be used for a connection to a relay for a fire alarm for instance.
For the purpose of this application you will be wiring the ports as follows:
Port Number | Wiring |
1. | Ground |
2. | 3.3V (not required) |
3. | Button 0 |
4. | Button 1 |
5. | Button 2 |
6. | Button 3 |
7. | Ground |
8. | 3.3V (not required) |
9. | Button 4 |
10. | Button 5 |
11. | Button 6 |
12. | Button 7 |
When wiring the buttons, wire one end into the corresponding Port Number, and the other into the Ground.
Each button has an UP and DOWN state. This means that each button can be used to trigger 2 separate changes, one when it is pressed, another when it is released. Please have this in mind when thinking about the content changes you wish to make.
Configuration
At the moment there is no User Interface, and our Support Team will work with you to create and upload the necessary files.
To help you set this up, our Support Team will need to know the following:
Which buttons/relays are you using?
Are these buttons going to trigger content for UP or DOWN. A button press ON or a button release OFF?
What are the Triggers? I.e. What is going to be sent to the Web Triggers API, and what is the Interrupt ID? (For information on setting up your web triggers please see our Web Triggers API page)
Which Groups/Players do you want to trigger content on?
What is the serial number for the BrightSign device you are using (connected to GPIO)?